Home | Movies By Year | Movies from 2005
The Great Yokai War
Buy The Great Yokai War now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the movie. And once you've experienced the movie, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
is a 2005 Japanese fantasy film directed by Takashi Miike, produced by Kadokawa Pictures and distributed by Shochiku. The film stars Ryunosuke Kamiki, Hiroyuki Miyasako, Chiaki Kuriyama, and Mai Takahashi.
The film focuses largely on creatures from Japanese mythology known as 'ykai' (, variously translated as "apparition", "goblin", "ghoul", "spirit", or "monster"), which came to prominence during the Edo period with the works of Toriyama Sekien. It also draws inspiration from Aramata Hiroshi's 'Teito Monogatari', with the novel's antagonist Kat Yasunori appearing as the main antagonist in the film.
The film is considered a loose remake of the 1968 film 'Yokai Monsters: Spook Warfare', but also draws influence from Mizuki Shigeru's 'GeGeGe no Kitar' manga series of the same name. All three are retellings of the famous Japanese tale of Momotar, which features the title character driving a group of demons away from Kikaigashima with the help of native animals. While these previous adaptations have been read mostly as nationalist narratives, with the native 'ykai' driving out invading forces, 'The Great Ykai War' has been read instead for the clash between Japan's traditional landscape and its modern culture. This is largely due to the film's use of 'kikai' (, lit. "machine monsters"), created by Kat fusing the 'ykai' with machines, and the absence of invading Western or otherwise foreign forces.
Mizuki Shigeru, whose work is considered an important part of 'ykai' discourse and culture due to his contributions in pop culture and academic study, acted as an advisor for the film and even made an appearance as the Great Elder Ykai. The cameo is not only a nod to Mizuki's status as a 'ykai' expert, but his closing words also resonate closely with the theme of his manga of the same name. Similarly, his role as a peace-keeper is one referenced throughout his work, and is born of his own experiences from real war.
'The Great Yokai War' was theatrically released in Japan on August 6, 2005, and grossed 2 billion. In 2006, the film was released internationally by Tokyo Shock. A sequel, was released in Japan on August 13, 2021.
Plot
A young boy named Tadashi Ino moves to a small town after his parents' divorce. At a local festival, he is chosen to be that year's Kirin Rider, referring to the legendary Chinese chimera, the Qilin: a protector of all things good. He soon discovers that his new title is quite literal, as a nefarious spirit named Yasunori Kat appears. Kat - a demon whose mystical powers are born of his rage at the annihilation of Japan's local tribes - desires vengeance against the modern Japanese for their actions against the 'ykai'. To carry out his revenge, Kat allies himself with a 'ykai' named Agi, summoning a fiery spirit called Yomotsumono: a creature composed of the resentment carried by the multitudinous things mankind has discarded. Kat feeds 'yokai' into Yomotsumono's flames, fusing them with the numerous discarded tools and items to form 'kikai'. These 'kikai' - under Kat's control - capture other 'ykai' to build their numbers while killing humans. One such 'yokai', a 'sunekosuri' escapes and befriends Tadashi who attempts to obtain the Daitenguken from the mountain as a right of passage for the role of Kirin Rider.
Scared by the tales told of the mountain, Tadashi falters upon his arrival at the mountain and tries to flee. However, tricked by the sea spirit Shj, who picked Tadashi out, he manages to overcome a test to prove his worth. Accompanied by Shj, Kawahime, and Kawatar, Tadashi makes his way to the Daitengu who gives him the sword before being taken away by the 'kikai'. In spite of Tadashi's attempts, the sword is broken as Agi takes the 'sunekosuri' as her captive before the boy is knocked unconscious.
When Tadashi comes to his senses, he finds himself among 'ykai' as they discuss how to fix the sword; they ultimately decide to request the aid of the blacksmith Ippondatara. Upon learning that Ippondatara was also captured, General Nurarihyon and his group leave. Kawataro restrains an ittan-momen, praising the bumbling Azukiarai, unaware that he only remained behind due to his foot getting numb.
When Kat's industrial fortress takes flight towards Tokyo, Tadashi and company pursue it. They arrive shortly after the fortress ingests Tokyo's Shinjuku Capital Building, finding Ippondatara who reforges the sword. Ippondatara refuses to talk about how he escaped, ashamed that the 'sunekosuri' took his place in becoming a 'kikai'. Donning new attire, Tadashi and company go into battle. They are greatly outnumbered until they receive unlikely aid from thousands of 'ykai' who believe they are coming to a party; their festival brawl with the 'kikai' allows Tadashi and Kawahime to enter the fortress safely, followed by a 'ykai'-obsessed reporter named Sata whom Kawahime saved in the past.
Tadashi is forced to slay the 'kikai' that the 'sunekosuri' became, restoring it to its original form yet leaving it gravely injured. In a rage, Tadashi battles Agi before she is called back by Kat to begin the final phase by joining with Yomotsumono. Despite Tadashi's attempts, Kat outmatches him. Kawahime attempts to protect the boy, stating that while she hates humans due to them abandoning her, she has no desire for revenge as she considers it a human emotion. Unfazed, Kat takes the two out as Azukiarai awkwardly arrives.
Kat calls Agi to join him. However, her love for him is a hindrance to the process, so Kat kills her instead before entering the oven to become one with Yomotsumono. However, due to Sata's actions, one of Azukiarai's adzuki beans ends up in the mix with Kat, causing a chain reaction of positive emotion that destroys Yomotsumono.
After the 'yokai' take their leave, Tadashi and Sata find themselves on the street and the boy tells his first white lie to the reporter about Kawahime's feelings towards him. Years later, Tadashi is a grown man who has lost the ability to see 'yokai', even the 'sunekosuri'. The film ends with the 'sunekosuri' being confronted by an Azuki-pupiled Kat.
Cast
Featured 'ykai'
* 'Sunekosuri'
* 'Kirin'
* 'Bakeneko'
* 'Noppera-b'
* 'Chchin-obake'
* 'Rokurokubi'
* 'Mokumokuren'
* 'Futakuchi-onna'
* 'Tsurubebi'
* 'Karakasa'
* 'Nurikabe'
* 'Yuki-onna'
* 'Sentakugitsune'
* 'Ookubi'
* 'Bake-danuki'
* 'Hitotsume-koz'
* 'Kappa'
* 'Otoroshi'
* 'Ohaguro-bettari'
* 'Nuri-botoke'
* 'Oshiroi-babaa'
* 'Kejoro'
* 'Wanyudo'
* 'Kudan'
* 'Karasutengu'
Critical response
* [https://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/30/movies/30yoka.html Scott, A.O. 'The New York Times' (June 30, 2006), p. B6: "A Motley Crew of Spirits Recruit a Boy to Be Savior" ]
* [http://filmjournal.com/filmjournal/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002914654 Lovece, Frank. 'Film Journal International' (review)]
* [http://hollywoodgothique.com/yokaidaisenso2005.html 2005 Film Review]
Home media
Japan
'Kadokawa' DVD'* 'Released': October 24, 2008
* 'Aspect Ratio': 1.66:1
* 'Audio': Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), Japanese (Dolby Digital 5.1), Japanese (Dolby Digital 6.1 EX)
* 'Subtitles:' Japanese
* 'Discs': 1
North America
'Tokyo Shock' DVD'* 'Released': September 12, 2006
* 'Audio:' Japanese, English
* 'Subtitles:' English
* 'Region:' 1
* 'Discs:' 2
* 'Extras':
* Making of documentary (Japanese, English subtitles)
* cast interviews (Japanese. English subtitles)
* World Yokai Conference documentary
* Yokai profiles
* Still gallery
Trivia
* Kamiki Ryunosuke, who played Tadashi, the main character, believed that Kawataro the kappa was real, going as far as to feed him cucumbers. Abe Sadao, not wanting to disappoint the young boy, kept up the charade till the very end.
* In the new remake of the Movie, The Great Yokai War: Guardians, Kamiki, plays the role of Kato, the villain from this movie.
Translations
References
Footnotes
Bibliography
**
*
*
*
*
Buy The Great Yokai War now from Amazon
<-- Return to movies from 2005